Thug tried to remove ex’s trainers after he had bought them as a present

Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Published:15:00Thursday 09 March 2017

A desperate offender stole a mobile phone to sell so he could raise money to get to an appointment where he ended up committing an assault.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on Tuesday, March 8, how Jordan Tyler, 20, of Jubilee Court, Belper, stole the mobile phone from the girlfriend of a friend after he stayed at his friend’s home.

Prosecuting solicitor Peter Bettany said Tyler sold the phone on at a pawn broker’s and later met a former partner and assaulted her in a supermarket in Somercotes.

Mr Bettany said: “The defendant had been staying with a friend and the friend had a girlfriend and she had a mobile phone and they realised the defendant had left the flat with the phone.

“She made enquiries and the phone had been sold to a pawn broker for £52 and it was recovered.”

Mr Bettany added that later that day Tyler met a former partner and while they were in an Aldi store at Somercotes CCTV footage showed them arguing and Tyler tried to take her trainers off, gave her a bear-hug and spat at her.

Tyler told police he had grabbed her foot to take her trainers off because he had bought them for her as a present. He added that she fell and he claimed she had tried to punch him so he gave her a bear-hug before leaving and coming back and spitting at her.

He also admitted committing the theft and the fraud to raise money to get to Somercotes.

Tyler pleaded guilty to theft, fraud and an assault. He also admitted failing to surrender to court on a previous occasion but he later gave himself up at Alfreton police station.

Defence solicitor David Gittins said Tyler is struggling with financial issues because he is refusing to apply for benefits and during the incident in the supermarket he did not have the words to explain his frustrations and he lashed out.

Mr Gittins added that Tyler previously failed to attend court because he has no funds and was struggling to travel between Belper, Buxton and Somercotes.

Magistrates sentenced Tyler to 12 weeks of custody suspended for 18 months with a Building Better Relationships programme and a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement and 80 hours of unpaid work.

He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and £52 compensation to the pawn broker.